CNPC official apologizes for river pollution

The State Environment Protection Administration confirmed Wednesday that pollutants containing benzene and nitrobenzene contaminated the Songhua River after a chemical-plant blast at the upper reaches in Northeast China. HARBIN, Nov. 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Deputy general manager of China National Petroleum Corp.(CNPC) Zeng Yukang expressed his sincere sympathy and deep apologies to the residents of northeast China's Heilongjiang province, for the pollution of the Songhua River caused by the blast in a chemical plant under the CNPC Jilin Petrochemical Company.

Zeng, who is also director of Daqing Petroleum Administration Bureau, came to Harbin on Wednesday, heading a drilling crew whichis to dig 100 deep groundwater wells for universities and collegesas well as water and heat suppliers in the city.

He made an apology on behalf of the CNPC to residents along the Songhua River on the pollution of the major city water source, saying that it is CNPC's duty to help treat the pollution, according to the city government of Harbin on Thursday.

The blast took place at about 1:45 p.m. on Nov. 13 in a workshop of the No. 101 Chemical Plant under the CNPC Jilin Petrochemical Company based in Jilin City, some 100 km east to Changchun, the provincial capital. Five people were killed and about 70 people were injured.